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4.29.2014

Spring 2014 has been such an exciting time of year for fashion, and I have tried fervently to take full advantage of all the fun styles that have been available. Everything from off-the-shoulder tops, whimsical peplums, midi skirts, painterly dresses, bold colors and classic pieces that are anchors of a wardrobe, have all found a special place in my heart and my closet.

For today's post I have decided to take a stroll down memory lane and recap some of the most popular post for March and April of 2014. Guess which look was the favorite. If you're new to So What to Twenty, I have added the link to the original post so that you can view it, and, if you have seen them all before and you simply want to revisit the original posts - please enjoy yourself!

4.28.2014

Last summer my family spent a glorious week at sea as we cruised to Mexico. Like most people, before our vacation, I went on a mad shopping spree to beef-up my wardrobe on cute summery pieces. During one of my visits to TJ Maxx, I came across the dress that I'm wearing in today's post - A simple, perforated orange and white striped dress with a cord belt. Oh how I love easy garments like this. All I need to do is throw it on with a cute pair of sandals and I'm good to go!

My initial attraction toward the dress wasn't necessarily the perforated detail, but more of its easy shape. Fast forward to spring/summer 2014 and perforation is all the rage and a big trend. Click HERE to view a Elle.com slide show on all the items that have been punctured with this hole-ly detail. I guess I'm accidentally on trend.

Today's look consists of items that I have had at least over a year and
were all purchased from TJ Maxx - my go to shopping destination for
finding cute items for a low price. Dress-TJ Maxx, Sandals by Nine West from TJ Maxx, Bag by Nine West from TJ Maxx, Brushed Silver Cuff from J.Jill (old)

Tell me ladies have you ever become accidentally on trend with a purchase you made years ago? I would guess that we can all raise our hands - Yes, to this question. It just goes to show that trends come and go and come again{wink}

4.26.2014

I have read many articles on how a woman of a certain age should dress, and unfortunately most of them begin with the word DON'T. You know how they begin...DON'T do this and DON'T do that...yadda yadda yadda. Sure there are times when certain styles and cuts should be worn at your discretion, but overall, if you can still rock a look, then - So What to Twenty!

I receive many lovely comments stating that I know how to dress my body. So, I thought I would share with you my secret. I am 5 feet - 2 inches tall with a hourglass figure and petite frame. And let me not forget, I am also long waisted with a very short inseam. In other words, I have short legs. Follow me so far? Do I find any of these traits a fault? No, I do not, and I refuse to treat them as such. I am a combination of both my mother and my father's body make-up, and I have learned to accentuate what I've got.

For the purposes of this post, I have chosen an outfit that some would place in the DON'T category and consists of some of my favorite pieces. Nothing is new (except the belt). Today's Look: Mini Circle Skirt (old) - Kohl's, Tank Top - Loft, Puka Shell Belt by Anthropologie but purchased on eBay (some still available), Sandals by Michael Kors, Clutch is vintage, Simplify bracelet by Bohemian Spirit Jewelry.

The mini circle skirt could be considered one of the tricky clothing
items that "experts" may place on the avoid list. Here are the reasons
why:

Mini (above the knee)

Circle skirt (widens the hips)

High Waist band (tough to pull of with a full chest)

However, because of my height and body type, this type of skirt works well and is one of my favorite go to pieces. Here's why:

Because
of my stature, mini skirts usually fall just at the knee or slightly
above the knee. On a taller woman, much more thigh will be
on display.

The fullness of the circle skirt only compliments my already curvaceous silhouette.

The
wide waist band can be done because of my long waist. The long
waist gives me much more room between my natural waist and my bosom. If I
were short-waisted, the wide band would sit right underneath my chest
and would make me appear larger than I actually am.

May I suggest, that if you wish to give a look like this a go, simplify your look with uncomplicated pieces. A basic, fitted top will pair nicely with the flare of the skirt. A fun belt to decorate the waist, and killer shoes to adorn the feet. Where would this outfit take me? Anywhere that I would want it to go{wink}

4.23.2014

I am a firm believer that the art of getting dressed should be a fun experience. Today is a prime example of the great joy I have when I pull together a look for a certain event. Like I have mentioned before, the California lifestyle is a huge influence on my wardrobe, and today's outfit is no exception.

I know I'm ahead of the game on this, but, the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend (May 25th), my family will be going to an outdoor Smooth Jazz Festival. Along with experiencing the sounds of a fantastic line-up of jazz artists, the guests will also have the opportunity to taste food and wine. I always look forward to attending these types of events, and when I do, I love showcasing the "Chill" vibe with my outfit. Recently I popped into Anthropologie and discovered a deliciously cute peplum top with scalloped details...perfect for the occasion.

You can't participate in a jazz, food & wine festival without a cool hat.

The jazz concert is just one of the many activities we have scheduled for the summer months. What a way to kick-off my favorite season. So excited! Tell me, what do you and your wardrobe have planned for this summer{wink}

Have you seen my feature on 40+ Style? If you haven't, feel free to connect HERE.

4.19.2014

Décolletage: A French word meaning the upper part of a woman's torso, between her waist and neck, comprising her neck, shoulders, back and chest, that is exposed by the neckline of her clothing.

If you have been following So What to Twenty for some time, you would
have noticed that I wear a great deal of sandals and
off-the-shoulder tops. When I purchase clothing, I make it a point to select items that will accentuate my favorite body parts. I'm not going to lie, I rather dig my tootsies and my decolletage. Is that a conceited thing to say? I think not. On the contrary, what woman, or man, would go about life hiding what they are most proud of? I can't think of one person. For some reason, I find the deep grooves of my clavicle rather...sexy. I enjoy emphasizing this area!

Today's look consist of items that I have shared before and do one heck of a job showing-off my favorite parts. Skirt-Custom made by my sister, Steffyne; Top purchased at Nordstrom Rack; Sandals by Nine West; Rhinestone chain belt from Loft; Stacked Cuff purchased while vacationing in Mexico; Polish is Kyoto Pearl by OPI

The goal to achieving a clean look in wearing off-the-shoulder tops is
to make sure you have a good strapless bra - if one is necessary (Tweet worthy).
Please, I beg you, do not resort to wearing a bra with the clear straps.
I loathe these types of bras because the clear straps are not fooling
anyone. My strapless foundation of choice is by Lilyette. It comes in many sizes,
and is similar to a bandeau which gives clothing a nice smooth
appearance.

For a woman of a certain age, the key to wearing off-the-shoulder is simple. In today's look, the top is fitted, therefore, I have paired it with a flowing midi-skirt. If the top were more loose-fitting and with a bohemian feel, I would then pair the top with a more fitted bottom. To remain tasteful, a good rule of thumb is to show skin on a minimum basis (Tweet worthy). Since my shoulders are on display, I would never wear a tight fitting mini-skirt with this look. And, if I have my gams on show, I would then keep my upper body concealed.

Tell me ladies, are you brave enough to share with us what your favorite body part is? I dare you{wink}

Have you seen my feature on 40+ Style? If you haven't, feel free to connect HERE.

4.17.2014

I thought it would be fun to post some of the outfits that didn't make the cut. For various reasons, the below outfits just didn't seem blog worthy. For those of you who blog, you may understand what I'm saying. With each of these outfits, I left the house with a Meh feeling...I didn't feel excited or non-excited. Just an in between feeling that caused me to later leave them unpublished.

With that being said, it is extremely important for me to feel good about what I'm wearing. If not, then the result isn't pretty...just Meh. So here we are, the ones that went unpublished - until now. Let me know what you think.

With this look, the weather was gray and cold and I was irritated by the change in temperature and didn't feel like wearing weather-appropriate clothing. I also believe that the boots have run their course and need to be retired. What I did like was the scarf. Scarves are always fun!

On this day, I just wasn't in the mood for taking pictures. I remember we canceled the shoot and I went back to bed. I was fine with the look, but felt moody.

I couldn't stand this outfit because of the sweater/dress/tunic. I really don't know what it is. It's too long to be a regular sweater and too short for a dress. I can't stand it and wish I didn't buy it. I have styled it in many ways and it just doesn't work.

I can't recall why I didn't publish this outfit. Now that I look at it, it seems fine. Perhaps I was just tired of dressing for fall and wanted it to be done with.

I am greatly influenced by weather. On this day, it was already 80 degrees in the morning. I don't know why I wore a look with thick knee-high socks. I simply felt hot and wasn't feeling my look.

There you have it friends - my unpublished / now published looks. Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you next week, here at So What to Twenty{wink}

Have you seen my feature on 40+ Style? If you haven't, feel free to connect HERE.